Royal Bengal tiger in Prathipadu area remains elusive

KAKINADA: The Royal Bengal tiger, which is roaming villages abutting forests in Prathipadu constituency of Kakinada district, continues to be a cause of worry for people and officials as well.

On Saturday, forest officials found the tiger’s pugmarks in Raghavapatnam area. They expected that it would continue going straight and get into the Narsipatnam reserve forest. However, the tiger moved right and remained roaming around villages in Rowthulapudi mandal. Forest officials tracking it, found its pugmarks in the fields of Lachireddypalli village of the mandal.

A welcome sign, however, is that the tiger has not killed any domestic animal. At the same time, it has stayed away from the five cages kept at various places within the forest to capture it.  Forest field officer Ravishankar Nath has cautioned people of villages around Lachireddypalli not to move outdoors between 4 p.m. to 8 a.m., as the tiger could be roaming in their surroundings.

According to a forest official, if the tiger decides to make the area its habitat, it may not go to the reserve forest. He disclosed that even if it is caught and left in the reserve forest, it may return to the same area in the future.

“Then, there will be no choice but keep it in the zoo,” the official regretted.